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Oscar Fernandez GarciaNotary

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Checklist for buying a property

To gather before the signing appointment. Nothing urgent: if something is missing, the office will tell you how to obtain it.

Other sheetsChecklist for buying a property

When printed, the on-screen explanations drop out: only the list remains, to tick by hand.

Understanding more

Before you start

Why the notary is compulsory, and what they actually do

A hypothec on immovable property must be received by a notary, en minute, on pain of nullity (article 2693 of the Civil Code of Québec), without exception: no notary, no valid hypothec, so no financing.

Between the promise to purchase and the signing, the notary investigates: the seller’s titles, discharge of hypothecs, unpaid municipal and school taxes, the certificate of location. The notary also receives the lender’s funds and distributes them. Each check depends on a third party: an incomplete file cannot be fixed the day before.

What most often delays a closing

Almost never a legal problem: a document that is missing or no longer matches reality. First, a certificate of location that is out of date or does not show a shed, a pool or a moved fence; then a late loan instruction, a discharge not yet in the Land Register, and identity (two valid pieces of ID in the exact name on the deed).

The list follows the order in which things are requested. Gathering it from the promise to purchase is what changes the file most.

To prepare

The list to gather

Identity and contact details

  • Valid photo identification for each buyer.
  • Your current address and up-to-date contact details.
  • Your civil status, which determines certain particulars of the deed.

The transaction

  • The accepted offer to purchase, with all annexes and counter-offers.
  • The broker’s details, if there is one.
  • The seller’s declaration, if it was given to you.

The property

  • The existing certificate of location.
  • The most recent municipal and school tax bills.
  • For a condo: the declaration of co-ownership and the syndicate’s financial statements.

Financing

  • Your financial institution’s details and those of your adviser.
  • The mortgage commitment letter, if you have received it.
  • Proof of the down payment and where it comes from.

This list is indicative. Depending on your situation, other documents may be required or some may not apply. It does not replace the instructions you will be given for your own file.

The service that covers it in detail

Official sources

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This page provides general information and does not constitute legal advice. Every situation must be assessed individually.

Next step

A question about your situation?

Write to us or call the office. We will tell you which steps to follow and which documents to prepare.

Request a consultationCall 514-508-1099

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